Mai being “one of the prime candidates for Black Council“ according to whom?
Please. The woman is so rigidly on the good side that she practically has “Lawful Good” stamped on her forehead. The stone Temple Dogs that she created are a blatant symbol by Jim of exactly what side she’s on—and how.
Indeed, her problem with Harry is that she’s so firmly entrenched on the “good” side that she sees the bad things, and isn’t capable of grasping shades of gray. It’s either/or with her, a binary solution set.
That Ancient Mai would be Black Council is ridiculous. It’s like saying that Mister Ferro would be—outside of him ever having received that gift at Bianca’s party. I guess we’ll find out shortly whether that one “got” him or not.
That very image of being "rigidly lawful good" could make an amazing cover, hmmm?
It lets her vote, consistently, to execute the Starborn.... because he
might turn out bad.
Even if she's leaning in on the rigid ethics, she comes across as the sort who might slip over into ends-justifying-means and small-evil-for-greater-good thinking that could be JUST the chink in her moral armor that lets a Black Council pitch find fertile ground (like Kumori's "end Death" ambition has her helping do an obviously-evil Darkhallow).
Let's take a closer look at her Temple Dogs, for that matter. The temple dogs who
didn't detect Peabody... an active Black Magician.
Nor did they detect any of his workings: layers of control on most of the Wardens, many (or even all) of the Senior Council, etc. Mai's Temple Dogs allowed Peabody to smuggle a
Mistfiend into the Council.